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Van permits for using household waste recycling centres (HWRCs)

If you want to use a van or trailer to bring waste from your own home to a recycling centre you need to have a permit.

The permit scheme helps to make sure that only household waste (and not commercial waste) is deposited at our recycling centres.

The sites are not licensed to accept waste from a commercial source and using them for this purpose is illegal. Unauthorised trade use also leads to safety issues associated with larger vehicles in general, and adds to waiting times for legitimate users. Commercial waste is defined as waste arising from any trade or business, industrial or commercial activities. Anyone who has received payment for carrying waste or who produces waste from their work cannot take this waste to any of our recycling centres.

 

About the permit

  • The permit is FREE.
  • Vehicles with a permit will only be able to use Clyne or Llansamlet Baling Plant.
  • Permits are required for:
  • Banned vehicles will not be allowed to park outside the recycling centres and carry waste onto the site.
  • Permits and access to recycling centres are for Swansea residents only.

 

Apply for a permit

Apply for a van permit to use the household waste recycling centres Apply for a van permit to use the household waste recycling centres

You will need to provide proof of the original V5 registration document and a matching proof of address within the City and County of Swansea eg a recent utility bill or Council Tax demand, when completing your online application.

 

How to use the permit

The permits allow you to access either the Baling Plant or Clyne on 12 occasions in any 12 month period. On arrival at the Baling Plant or Clyne HWRC, you must hand one of your permits to a member of site staff who will confirm that the vehicle details match those on the permit and keep permit to show one visit has been used. If you visit either of the HWRCs more than once in one day, each visit will be counted separately and your permit taken accordingly.

You will need to re-apply if your details change (change of address, new vehicle, etc) and surrender any unused permits issued under the previous address/vehicle registration number.

 

Hired vehicles

Vans hired for 3 days or less do not need a permit to visit the site. Household waste that is brought to the site using a hired vehicle must be driven by the person that lives at the property listed on the hire agreement or the person from the property must be a passenger in the vehicle. 

Site staff will need to see proof of address and the hire agreement before waste can be disposed of. The type of hired vehicle will need to comply with the same requirements as vans that require a permit.  

 

Disposing of commercial waste

The sites cannot accept commercial waste. Commercial waste can only be disposed of at the licensed facility situated at the Baling Plant on payment of the appropriate gate fee.

Depositing commercial waste at the HWRC sites is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and could result in a £50,000 fine and/or 2 years imprisonment.

Information on disposing of trade waste is available on our Commercial waste and recycling pages.

 

Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR)

ANPR is a form of CCTV that monitors vehicles' number plates as they enter HWRCs. It is in operation at HWRCs to support the permit scheme in deterring traders from illegally using the sites. It can also give traffic count data to help plan staffing and future site developments.

Information collected by ANPR will not be used by Swansea Council for any other purpose other than those listed above, although it may be shared with organisations like Natural Resources Wales to investigate breaches of regulations governing the carriage and disposal of waste.

 

Duty of care - residents using a business to clear/dispose of waste

Householders have a duty of care to make sure any waste created either by themselves or by paid tradespersons in their home is disposed of properly, safely and legally, either by themselves or by a licensed carrier of waste.

If tradespersons are contracted to dispose of this waste, householders should check that they are authorised to carry that waste and hold a waste carriers licence.

Check if an organisation is registered as a waste carrier, broker or dealer (Natural Resources Wales) (opens new window)

Tradespersons cannot dispose of this waste at a HWRC.

Apply for a van permit to use the household waste recycling centres

You will need to provide an original V5 registration document, a matching proof of address within our City and County such as a recent utility bill or Council Tax demand, and a photo of the vehicle when applying.
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